After months-long search, UH-Manoa fails to fill its chancellor post

The search for a new UH-Manoa chancellor has ended -- without a new hire.

The University of Hawaii said none of the 30 applicants vying for the job were selected. One was to be offered the job, but withdrew from consideration.

UH Manoa President David Lassner has served as Manoa's chancellor since September 2016, and is recommending that he continue in both roles for at least two more years.

"It is my view that Manoa can't wait for a new chancellor to be selected to make the advances we need now, and that uncertainty places a severe damper on forward progress," said Lassner, in a message to UH-Manoa students, faculty and staff.

He added that he's not suggesting that the system president and Manoa chancellor positions be merged.

"I recognize, perhaps better than anyone, that the UH presidency and the Manoa chancellorship are two distinct, large and difficult jobs," he said.

In October, UH announced two finalists for the chancellor position: Sonny Ramaswamy, who was director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture under President Obama; and John White, who was acting chancellor for the Nevada System of Higher Education.

A third finalist was added in January: Lauren Robel, executive vice president and provost at Indiana University-Bloomington.

Lassner said over the next two years, his priorities for UH-Manoa include modernizing enrollment management, facilities upgrades and moving toward a campus budgeting model.

Scientists agree that the Earth has been warming due to human-induced climate change, and as temperatures continue to rise, an increasing amount of severe weather events are expected to occur. Hawaii has already been seeing some of the impacts, researchers say, so how can the state prepare for more severe effects in the future?

Scientists agree that the Earth has been warming due to human-induced climate change, and as temperatures continue to rise, an increasing amount of severe weather events are expected to occur. Hawaii has already been seeing some of the impacts, researchers say, so how can the state prepare for more severe effects in the future?